Craniofacial malformation is one of the serious consequences in the birth defects problem. The intention of this proposal is to undertake a study program in this area in an attempt to better understand the morphologic consequences of defective development with the hope that it will lead to a fuller comprehension of normal and abnormal growth. A large amount of clinical and radiologic information from the University of Cincinnati Children's Hospital collection has been made available for an in-depth radiogrammetric study disease complexes such as the Down's, Rubinstein-Taybi and Pyle's syndromes as well as numerous other disturbances in bone form and modeling (dysplasias, dystrophies, and dysostoses). The intention in this proposal is to study cranial shape and form, and localized and general developmental defects in the neuro- and viscerocranium from the standpoint of linear and maturational development relative to both chronologic and maturational age. Apart from the overall study guidelines of abnormal development, there is the desire to understand a number of points raised through past investigations. Previous workers describe generalized growth restriction among birth defectives on one hand while others purport increased variability of phenotypic characteristics on the other. Without considering these as paradoxs, I believe that the integrative study methods proposed here will afford the opportunity to obtain the sequential information that will allow for firm answers to many unresolved questions concerning abnormal craniofacial development.